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Press Releases

10/01/2018

Gov. Malloy Announces New State Law Banning Bump Stocks Is Now in Effect

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Dannel P. Malloy announced that a new state law he signed (Public Act 18-29) that bans the sale, purchase, possession, and manufacturing of bump stocks and other enhancements that increase the rate of fire for semiautomatic weapons has taken effect today. Connecticut now joins just a handful of states the ban the devices – a situation that Governor Malloy said needs to be addressed on a national basis by Congress.

Today is also the one-year anniversary of the October 1, 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada – the deadliest in modern U.S. history – during which one of these devices was used to kill 58 people and injure hundreds more.

“States are leading on efforts to stop gun violence while leaders in Congress sit on their hands and do nothing but give into the demands of the NRA and their big money lobbyists who give them millions in cash,” Governor Malloy said. “It’s worth noting that we were able to pass this law in Connecticut on a bipartisan basis, and I thank lawmakers on both sides of the aisle for sending the bill to my desk for my signature. But the simple fact is that laws by individual states on this issue are not enough – President Trump and Congressional leaders promised action nearly a year ago following the tragedy in Las Vegas and they have done nothing, despite the urges of the overwhelming majority of Americans who see no need for anyone to own a device that can fire 90 bullets every 10 seconds. A patchwork of laws by individual states is not the solution – we need action on gun violence prevention on a nationwide, federal basis.”

“It is appropriate that today, on the one year anniversary of the Las Vegas shooting in which 58 people were senselessly and brutally gunned down, Public Act 18-29 goes into effect,” Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman said. “Connecticut now bans the sale, purchase, possession, and manufacturing of bump stocks, an enhancement that has no place in a civilized society. I am grateful that the legislature came together in a truly bipartisan fashion and recognized that our state residents are unified in their call for commonsense reforms that can help prevent these tragedies. As we remember the victims of this massacre, and the other victims of every day gun violence, we must come together and call on Congress to take similar action at the federal level so that all Americans can feel safe going to school, seeing a movie, or enjoying a concert.”

In 2013, Governor Malloy signed historic legislation (Public Act 13-3) providing Connecticut with some of the strongest gun violence prevention laws in the country. Among the many provisions in the bill, that law banned the sale and possession of assault weapons and large capacity magazines; required a clean record, safety training, and a permit to buy rifles, shotguns, and ammunition, whether it is from a gun store or private sale; and required background checks and training for the purchase of all categories of guns. Additionally, the law was modified to provide convicted felons who were caught possessing ammunition with the same penalty as they would receive if they were caught with a firearm. The bill also increased funding for mental health treatment and school security.